Chief Perekeme Richard Kpodoh, a former security adviser to the Bayelsa state government during the administration of Ex-Governor Timipre Sylva has collapsed while being re-arraigned for alleged rape at State High Court 7 in Yenagoa.

Kpodoh, who was last Friday arraigned before a magistrate court in Yenagoa for the same offence and was remanded in prison custody till August 10 for ruling on his bail application, was again yesterday at the State High Court charged on a two counts of unlawful detention and rape of one Teke Blessing on june 20, 2018.

Kpodoh, who looked frail and had earlier claimed of medical challenges, collapsed in the dock after pleading not guilty to the charge causing confusion amongst prison, court officials and other litigants as the court proceedings was temporarily suspended.

It took the combined efforts of prison officials and other litigants in court to assist, revive and stabilse the former security adviser.

When the proceedings resumed, after twenty minutes interval, counsel to the accused, Julius Iyekoroghe, made an oral bail application, highlighting the fragile health condition of his client.

“Yesterday I visited him in the prison as a result of his failing health, he was diagnosed and his blood pressure shot up drastically out of range to about 200 systolic 150 diastolic, we ask that we take a bill application or a short adjournment.

“We pray the court to direct that he should be granted access to his doctors at the Federal Medical Center Yenagoa or a private medical facility of his choice because he has been on a very long management of his health.

“He has a history of liver and kidney issues in addition to being hypertensive he had once travelled to India for kidney and lungs related issues and we have document to show,” Iyekoroghe said.

However, the trial judge, Justice E Eradiri, ruled that the prison officials should take the accused to any government health facility of his choice.

He urged the defence counsel to file a signed bail of application and adjourned the case to August 3, for ruling on the bail application.